Canada

B.C. couple ties up man they claim visited home for sex with 13-year-old

The screenshot from a Facebook Live video shows a man tied up in a Port Alberni, B.C. home on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Warning: The details of this story and coarse language may be disturbing to some readers

A Vancouver Island couple is standing by their decision to restrain a man with zip ties in their home after alleging that he arrived to have sex with their underage daughter.

In a video posted to Facebook Live, the girl’s mother can be heard berating the 28-year-old Port Alberni, B.C. man as he lay face down on the floor with his hands bound behind his back.

CTV News is not identifying the couple to protect the identity of the girl.

“He come to my house to meet my 13-year-old f***ing daughter to f**** her. He wanted to be her first,” the mother said from behind a smartphone camera. “We f***ing tackled him, and Zap strapped him and called the police.”

RCMP arrived at the home on Thursday and took the man to hospital. He has not been charged.

“Why wouldn’t the police come and help me catch the predator that just came to my f***ing house,” the mother continued in the video. “I’m so glad that I got my daughter’s phone and saw a message that she didn’t.”

The mother claims she asked police to investigate the man six weeks ago, when she discovered explicit messages sent to her daughter’s Instagram account. She said police told her to block the man and forget it.

Frustrated by the response, she set up the meeting. The mother said she asked police to be present during the ambush, but claims authorities would not help.

The mother and stepfather admit to restraining and interrogating the man. The stepfather said he is an acquaintance of the family.

RCMP Cpl. Amelia Hayden said a child luring investigation was opened in March.

"The police had directed her not to take matters into her own hands,” she said. “We still do have an active and ongoing investigation on the matter.”

Hayden said vigilante actions are not only illegal; they also put people in danger and have the potential to compromise the original investigation.

“It hasn't resolved one issue. It's caused another, and put people in danger,” she said.

RCMP said the parents may now be charged with assault causing bodily harm and forcible confinement.

Both are convinced their actions were justified.

“If I get charged, I still feel it was the right thing,” the mother said.

“This is ridiculous,” said the stepfather. “Shouldn’t a guy be able to protect his own family in his house?”